From the 11th to the 23rd of November, eight TY students had the incredible opportunity to participate in exchange programmes to France and Germany. This was made possible through Erasmus and Leargas, enabling the TYs to partake in these exchanges free of charge.
The students were carefully selected following a process of letter-writing and group interviews, with only four chosen from each group.
Four students from Ms Giyazova’s German class had the wonderful chance to visit Germany for two weeks. They stayed with carefully selected host families around the city of Neumarkt and attended school at the Ostendorfer Gymnasium alongside their host siblings. The four TYs selected were Emily Sliwa, Aoife Bourke, Alessandra Ghercă, and Oreoluwa Olajide.
The students described their trip as fascinating and occasionally challenging but ultimately an excellent learning opportunity for which they were extremely grateful.
They had the chance to experience a foreign school system, which deepened their understanding of German culture. They also learned about the Bavarian region during a visit to Nuremberg with their host families, where they explored the city's history and even tried authentic Bratwurst.
Surrounded by German speakers, the students had to focus intently to understand lessons and conversations, leading to significant improvements in their German comprehension skills. The immersion underscored the advantages of being surrounded by a foreign language.
In addition to language learning, the students developed independence and confidence. Being far from their families and staying with people they had never met before was daunting at first, but the experience made them more resilient and better communicators, as these skills were essential for daily life.
The students recommend the programme to anyone interested in German culture and language, as they found it an incredible learning opportunity.
Aoife shared:
“I would absolutely recommend anyone considering applying for the Erasmus+ student exchange to go for it and give it their best. For me, it was a great opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and try something new. It also helped me gain independence and confidence, as I had to navigate airports, trains, and buses while in Germany. At first, it was scary being in a new country with unfamiliar people, but by the end of the exchange, I didn’t want to leave my host family. Overall, it was a brilliant experience, and I would highly recommend it.”
Oreoluwa said:
“What I really liked about my experience was diving into the local culture and interacting with native German speakers every day. My host family was great—they were really welcoming and made me feel right at home.”
Meanwhile, four TY French students were selected to go on exchange to France. They were chosen not only for their proficiency in French but also for how they presented themselves during interviews.
The four students who went to France were Aoife Cummins, Lucy Linanne, Emily Sullivan, and Alessandra Balant. They travelled to Nantes and attended Lycée Gén. & Tech. Agricole Jules Rieffel - Campus Nantes Terre Atlantique.
The students found the trip both enjoyable and educational, gaining a taste of French culture and deepening their knowledge of the French language by being surrounded by native speakers and completing tasks in French.
Despite challenges such as the fear of being far from home and the language barrier, the students persevered and thrived, learning, maturing, and even forming new friendships.
In addition to academic experiences, the students also tried new things, such as authentic French pain au chocolat with freshly squeezed juice and living in dormitories.
Lucy reflected:
“I think the French trip was very beneficial to me because my French definitely improved by hearing teachers and my peers speaking in class and outside school. It also gave me the opportunity to gain confidence and maturity by flying without an adult and being independent at school.”
Aleksandra added:
“I found the experience very helpful for learning the language and in general. I learned a lot of new words, and I had such a great time in France. I would 100% recommend taking part in an Erasmus trip. I learned so much, met so many people, and had so much fun.”
Overall, both trips were incredible learning opportunities that helped students enhance their language skills, build confidence, and deepen their understanding of the cultures of different European countries.
By Alessandra Ghercă